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☆ Kate returns to official royal duties with commemoration of war dead
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-10 | by ( Freddie Clayton | Freddie Clayton Is A Freelance Journalist Based In London. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Charles was joined by Prince William and Princess Kate, who has slowly returned to public duties this year following treatment for cancer. The wreaths were adorned by poppies, a symbol of remembrance also worn on lapels by many across the U.K. in the lead-up to Remembrance Day. Poppies were a common sight on the battle-scarred lands of Europe during World War I. Princess Kate was also in attendance at Saturday evening’s Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall, her first major public appearance since finishing chemotherapy. Both events form part of the United Kingdom’s Remembrance Day commemorations as the nation pays tribute to those whose lives were affected by World War I and remembers those who died.

Persons: Charles III, Keir Starmer, Kemi Badenoch, Charles, Prince William, Princess Kate, Catherine , Princess of, Camilla, King Charles, Toby Melville, John McCrae, Kate, Royal Albert Hall, Max Mumby, William, Tom Jones, Royal Albert Hall . Prince William, “ It’s, It’s, ” William Organizations: Commonwealth, ”, Carnegie Endowment, International Peace, Royal Albert, Royal Air Force, Services, Royal Albert Hall, NBC News ’, Sky News Locations: London, United Kingdom, British, Catherine , Princess of Wales, Europe, Belgium, France, Canadian, Flanders, NBC News ’ British, Cape Town , South Africa

☆ Princess of Wales attends Remembrance events with royal family
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-10 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

London CNN —Catherine, Princess of Wales joined the royal family as they paid their respects to all those who have lost their lives in conflicts at the annual Remembrance Day service in London on Sunday. Prince William also left a floral tribute, featuring the Prince of Wales feathers and a new ribbon in Welsh red, at the war memorial. Toby Melville/ReutersWorld War II veterans Alec Penstone and Mervyn Kersh meet on Horse Guards Parade ahead of the Royal British Legion’s march past the Cenotaph. Kate, 42, announced she was cancer free in September and would be taking a phased approach to resuming public royal duties. The Princess of Wales joined , Britain's Prince William, Prince of Wales, Britain's King Charles and Britain's Princess Anne, Princess Royal attend "The Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance" at the Royal Albert Hall in London, Britain, November 9, 2024.

Persons: London CNN — Catherine, Princess of Wales, King Charles III, “, King George VI, Prince William, Prince, King Charles, Chris Jackson, James Manning, Kate, Sophie , Duchess, Prince Edward , Princess Anne, Sir Tim Laurence, Duke, Duchess of Gloucester, Duke of Kent, –, Ben, Keir Starmer, Conservative Party Kemi Badenoch, John Major, Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, Sunak, Kemi Badenoch, Toby Melville, Alec Penstone, Mervyn Kersh, Jaimi Joy, Princess, Wales, William, Royal Albert, Britain's Prince William , Prince of Wales, Britain's King Charles, Britain's Princess Anne, Princess Royal, Chris J, Camilla, Buckingham, I’m, King, Charles Organizations: London CNN, Royal Air Force, Foreign, Commonwealth, Development Office, Conservative Party, British, Reuters, Horse Guards, Royal, Windsor, Royal British Legion Festival of, Royal Albert Hall, Commonwealth Armed Forces personnel, NATO, Royal British Legion Festival, REUTERS, CNN’s Royal, Food Locations: London, Whitehall, Downing, Wales, Edinburgh, Royal British, Southport, England, Normandy, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Britain, Ratcliffe, Wiltshire, South Africa

☆ Britain loves its 'special relationship' with the U.S. — but that doesn't mean Trump will love it back
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-07 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

London feels those long-standing bonds and geopolitical interests make its relationship with the U.S., well, special. Not so special anymoreDescribing the "special relationship" as one of convenience for the U.S., Pickering said the U.K. could still maneuver itself to be useful to an incoming Trump government. Whisper it, but the "special relationship" ceased to be special long ago, according to Holger Schmieding, chief economist at Berenberg. "That Trump and Starmer are apparently not fans of each other, to put it mildly, will not help in future U.S.-U.K. talks. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II greets U.S. President Donald Trump as he arrives for the Ceremonial Welcome at Buckingham Palace, in London, Britain June 3, 2019.

Persons: Donald Trump, Jeff J Mitchell, Keir Starmer, Trump, David Lammy, Starmer, Harris, Joe Biden, Kevin Lamarque, Badenoch, Lammy, Kallum Pickering, Peel Hunt, We're, we'll, Pickering, Holger Schmieding, Schmieding, Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, Victoria Jones Organizations: Getty, U.S, London, Britain's, Republican, Trump Tower, Trump, Atlantic, Labour Party, White, Reuters, Conservative Party, Republicans, Labour, European Union, China, Peel, CNBC, NATO Locations: London, New York, Washington, Europe, China, EU, U.S, America, Buckingham, Britain

☆ U.K. Conservative Party picks Kemi Badenoch as its new leader in wake of election defeat
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-02 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Ap-Live-Blog-Byline-Image.Png | The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

Britain’s Conservative Party on Saturday elected Kemi Badenoch as its new leader as it tries to rebound from a crushing election defeat that ended 14 years in power. Badenoch defeated rival lawmaker Robert Jenrick in a vote of almost 100,000 members of the right-of-center party. Badenoch replaces former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who in July led the Conservatives to their worst election result since 1832. The Conservatives lost more than 200 seats, taking their tally down to 121. But the party also lost many voters to the winning party, Labour, and to the centrist Liberal Democrats, and some Conservatives worry that tacking right will lead the party away from public opinion.

Persons: Kemi Badenoch, Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer’s, “, Nigel Farage Organizations: Britain’s Conservative Party, Conservatives, Labour, Conservative, Reform, Liberal Democrats Locations: British, London, Nigerian, West, wokeness, Badenoch

☆ UK's Conservatives name Kemi Badenoch as new leader, shifting the party further to the right
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-02 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Conservative leadership contender Kemi Badenoch delivers a speech on the final day of Conservative party conference at Birmingham ICC Arena on October 2, 2024 in Birmingham, England. LONDON — The U.K.'s opposition Conservative Party on Saturday named right-wing Kemi Badenoch as its new leader, closing a long-drawn-out runoff after the Tories' landslide electoral defeat ushered in a moment of reckoning for the party. Badenoch ousted Robert Jenrick to secure the top job, replacing outgoing leader and former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. "It is the most enormous honor to be elected to this role," Badenoch said, giving her maiden speech as party leader shortly after the results were announced. The ultimate winner was decided by Conservative Party members, with Badenoch receiving 53,806 votes to Jenrick's 41,388.

Persons: Kemi Badenoch, Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Rishi Sunak, Tory, Jenrick, James, Keir Starmer's Organizations: Conservative, Birmingham ICC Arena, Conservative Party, Tories, Conservatives, Keir Starmer's Labour Locations: Birmingham, England, Badenoch

☆ Kemi Badenoch wins Conservative leadership contest, pitching party to the right after blowout UK election loss
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-02 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Badenoch defeated Robert Jenrick in a vote of party members by 53,806 votes to 41,000, after a months-long contest to replace Rishi Sunak as leader. Her task now is to revive a party still coming to terms with its worst ever election result. A contentious campaignTwo Conservatives contested this election, but many in the Labour party feel like they won it. Kemi Badenoch is congratulated by her husband Hamish, Robert Jenrick and wife Michal Berkner after winning the Conservative Party leadership contest on Saturday. On policy, however, Badenoch is sure to drag the opposition party to the right.

Persons: CNN — Britain’s, Kemi Badenoch, Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Rishi Sunak, She’s, Keir Starmer, ” Badenoch, Liz Truss, Sunak, Jenrick, Hamish, Michal Berkner, Dan Kitwood, Nigel Farage, Brexiteers, “, ” Starmer’s Organizations: CNN, Conservative Party, Labour, Tory, Conservatives, Conservative, Spectator, Reform, Britons, Liberal Democrats, BBC, European Union, European, Human, Starmer Locations: British, ”, Britain, Nigerian, Nigeria, McDonald’s, Badenoch, Europe, Rwanda

☆ Royal Mail: Meet Czech billionaire Daniel Křetínský who wants to buy Britain’s postal service
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Anna Cooban | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

It has been operating a postal service in England since the reign of Henry VIII. EP Group has until May 29 to convert its £3.5 billion ($4.4 billion) non-biding offer into a formal bid for IDS. The likely sale would come after a difficult few years for Royal Mail, which was privatized in 2013. ‘As British as it gets’The potential buyout of Royal Mail has stirred anxieties about the consequences of the iconic British institution coming under foreign ownership. “Royal Mail is an important national asset that would benefit from being able to take a longer-term view,” the firm said.

Persons: Henry VIII, Daniel Křetínský, Křetínský, Patrik Tkáč, Rishi Sunak, Kemi Badenoch, Dave Ward, ”, ” Ward, Jonathan Reynolds, ” Ivana Kottasová Organizations: London CNN — Royal Mail, Distribution Services, IDS, Royal Mail, UK Department for Business, Trade, CNN, Bloomberg, Equity Investment, Newsweek, West Ham United Football Club, Reuters, Communication Workers Union, Labour Party, Royal, Labour Locations: England, Czech, British, United States, FNAC, France, United Kingdom, West

☆ 'Vote of confidence': UK hails $37 billion of foreign investment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Australian funds IFM Investors and Aware Super will pump 10 billion pounds and 5 billion pounds, respectively, into projects ranging from infrastructure and energy transition to affordable housing, Sunak's Downing Street office said in a statement. It added that Spanish power giant Iberdrola (IBE.MC) would add 7 billion pounds to its investment plans in Britain, which include transmission and distribution electricity networks. France has overtaken Britain as the European country with the highest number of new FDI projects. President Emmanuel Macron announced 13 billion euros ($14 billion) of investment commitments in France at a similar FDI gathering in May. "It wants to deal with one person," investment minister Dominic Johnson told Reuters, adding ministers could then have "very strong, frank discussions with the international investment community about how we can make the environment more investable".

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Kemi Badenoch, Sunak's, Iberdrola, Sunak, Emmanuel Macron, Stephen Schwarzman, David Solomon, Goldman Sachs, Jamie Dimon, JP Morgan Chase, Amanda Blanc, Dominic Johnson, IFM, King Charles, William Schomberg, Alistair Smout, Louise Heavens, Mark Potter Organizations: British, Global Investment, Business, IFM, Microsoft, Blackstone, LBC, Nissan, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Hampton, East Molesey, Surrey, Britain, France, Germany, England, Buckingham

☆ Britain to launch South Korea trade talks as president visits
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

King Charles greeted President Yoon Suk Yeol with a royal guard of honour following his arrival in London, and then rode with him by carriage to Buckingham Palace. He will hold talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday, and sign an accord on closer diplomatic ties. Under the accord, the countries will agree to work closely on areas such as semiconductors - of which South Korea is an important producer - and artificial intelligence. [1/4]Members of the Royal Air Force (RAF) welcome South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee, as they arrive at Stansted Airport, near London, Britain, November 20, 2023. "REFRESHED, MODERNISED DEAL"Under Yoon, South Korea has focused on strengthening economic, political, and military ties with the U.S. while seeking to maintain trade with China and working to overcome historical disputes with Japan.

Persons: Yoon, King Charles Yoon, King Charles, Yoon Suk, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Yoon Suk Yeol, Kim Keon Hee, Toby Melville, David Beckham, Son Heung Min, Kemi Badenoch, Alistair Smout, Kylie MacLellan, Sarah Young, Josh Smith, Alistair Bell, Stephen Coates, Timothy Heritage, David Gregorio Our Organizations: LONDON, British, Accord, Trade, Downing, North, Royal Air Force, South, Stansted Airport, REUTERS, Trans, Pacific Partnership, European Union, Thomson Locations: Britain, Korea, London, Buckingham, United Kingdom, Downing, South Korea, North Korea, U.S, China, Japan, Seoul

☆ UK Minister to Sign Trade Pact With Florida Governor DeSantis
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

By Andrea Shalal and Alistair SmoutWASHINGTON (Reuters) - British Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said she will sign a memorandum of understanding with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on Tuesday to boost trade and investment with the fourth largest U.S. state. Badenoch said the Florida deal was Britain's seventh with U.S. states, and Britain was also making progress in talks with the U.S. federal government on a broader trade agreement. Badenoch and DeSantis, a Republican presidential hopeful, will sign the deal in the Port of Jacksonville around midday (1700 GMT) Tuesday. Trade between Britain and Florida is already worth more than 5 billion pounds ($6.14 billion) a year, but could expand under the new memorandum. Together with Florida, they account for a combined gross domestic product (GDP) of 3.3 trillion pounds ($4 trillion).

Persons: Andrea Shalal, Alistair Smout WASHINGTON, Kemi Badenoch, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Badenoch, Katherine Tai, Rishi Sunak, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Biden, DeSantis, Trump, Alistair Smout, Edwina Gibbs, Mark Heinrich Organizations: Business, Trade, Florida Governor, U.S, Reuters, . Trade, British, Britain, Republican, Trump, NASA Kennedy Space Center Locations: Florida, Britain, China, Badenoch, DeSantis, Port of Jacksonville, London, Indiana , North Carolina, South Carolina , Oklahoma , Utah, Washington, Texas , New York , California, Colorado, Illinois

☆ US, UK make progress on critical minerals agreement, US says
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai speaks during the Axios BFD event in New York City, U.S., October 12, 2023. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 28 (Reuters) - U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai said "significant progress" was made on a U.S.-UK critical minerals agreement in talks on Saturday in Japan. Tai issued a statement after meeting with British business and trade minister Kemi Badenoch. The United States and the UK have been negotiating a critical minerals agreement that could allow electric vehicle minerals produced in Britain to count towards tax credits for clean vehicles offered under the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act. Reporting by Ismail Shakil; Editing by Cynthia OstermanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Katherine Tai, Brendan McDermid, Tai, Kemi Badenoch, Ismail Shakil, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Trade, REUTERS, . Trade, U.S, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Japan, United States, Britain

☆ Britain’s Sunak issues rallying cry for a party that is already planning life without him
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Luke Mcgee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

While the party establishment loathes Farage, Conservative members greeted him with open arms and requests for selfies after he arrived on Monday afternoon. The Conservative Party has always been a broad church, with competing factions jostling for supremacy. But Conservative Party members are rather different to the general public. Supporters applaud as Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaks during the Conservative Party annual conference on Wednesday. Bookmakers' odds on the next UK general election are displayed outside the Manchester venue for the Conservative Party Conference on October 4, 2023.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, –, steadying, ” Sunak, Sunak, Nigel Farage, loathes Farage, Hannah McKay, Kemi Badenoch, don’t “, Justin Tallis, Jeremy Hunt, Jon Super, Brexit, Johnson, didn’t, “ He’s, ”, Braverman, Grant Shapps, Suella Braverman, James, Stefan Rousseau, Christopher Furlong, Rishi Organizations: England CNN — British, Conservative Party, Conservative, CNN, Conservatives, Euroskeptic, Independence Party, European Union, selfies, Britain's UK Independence Party, PM, Labour Party, European, Human, Labour, British, Getty, Conservative Party Conference Locations: Manchester, England, “, North, Midlands, London, Sunak

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Britain’s Treasury chief is to announce a hike in the national minimum wage on Monday, as the governing Conservative Party tries to persuade voters it is on the side of those who are struggling financially. Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has ruled out tax cuts, saying they would fuel inflation. The exact amount will be set after a recommendation by the Low Pay Commission, an advisory body. The right-of-center Tories, in power since 2010, are lagging far behind the center-left opposition Labour Party in opinion polls. Truss, whose plan for billions in unfunded tax cuts spooked the financial markets, is calling for the party to “revive Conservative values” such as “cutting red tape, lower(ing) taxes and trusting that markets will find the solutions we all want.”

Persons: Jeremy Hunt, Hunt, ” Hunt, “, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Liz Truss, Boris Johnson, pocketbooks, Suella Braverman, Kemi Badenoch, James, Truss, ” Organizations: —, Treasury, Conservative Party, Conservatives, Low, Commission, U.K, Sky News, Labour Party, European Union Locations: MANCHESTER, England, Ukraine, Britain, Manchester

☆ In Government Row Over ECHR, UK's Cleverly Says No Need to Leave
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - British foreign minister James Cleverly knocked back a suggestion by another government minister on Sunday that leaving the European Convention of Human Rights was needed so the country could better tackle illegal immigration. Sunak has ruled out leaving the ECHR, a treaty agreed by almost every nation in Europe after World War Two, saying Britain could curb the arrival of illegal migrants without having to quit. But some in his party, including interior minister Suella Braverman, say the international conventions governing refugees were not fit for purpose, and only served to encourage activist lawyers to block deportations. Cleverly told a fringe event organised by think tank Onward at the Conservative conference, he did not "feel that in order to achieve what we need to achieve, to protect our borders, we are necessitated to leave the ECHR". And I have no doubt that the decisions that we have made are completely within the boundaries of international law.

Persons: James, Rishi, Kemi Badenoch, Sunak, Suella Braverman, Elizabeth Piper, Emelia Sithole Organizations: European Convention of Human, British, Sunday Times, Conservative Locations: MANCHESTER, England, Europe, Britain

☆ UK minister rejects Microsoft criticism of decision to block Activision deal
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Microsoft logo is seen on a smartphone placed on displayed Activision Blizzard's games characters in this illustration taken January 18, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - British business minister Kemi Badenoch said on Tuesday she did not agree with Microsoft (MSFT.O) President Brad Smith that the Competition and Market Authority's initial decision to block its purchase of videogame maker Activision was bad for Britain. "Call of Duty" maker Activision Blizzard (ATVI.O) has since said it will sell its streaming rights in a fresh attempt to win approval from Britain's anti-trust regulator, the CMA, for its $69 billion sale to Microsoft. "If the CMA is doing something wrong, I think that will become evident through a pattern which is not yet the case." Reporting by Alistair Smout and Muvija M; Editing by Sachin RavikumarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Kemi Badenoch, Brad Smith, Badenoch, Alistair Smout, Sachin Ravikumar Organizations: Microsoft, Activision, REUTERS, Britain, CMA, Thomson Locations: United States

☆ Britain and Tata Agree to $1.6 Billion Package for Steel Mill
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-15 | by ( Stanley Reed | More About Stanley Reed | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The British government and Tata Steel on Friday announced a 1.25-billion-pound package, or about $1.6 billion, to cut emissions and financial losses at Tata’s steel mill — the country’s largest — at Port Talbot in Wales, potentially putting many of the plant’s 4,000 jobs at risk. The government said the package would help clean up a site that it said was Britain’s largest emitter, reducing the country’s overall carbon emissions by 1.5 percent, and would ultimately preserve thousands of jobs. It will provide £500 million, with Tata contributing £750 million. A union that represents the bulk of steel production workers in Britain said the arrangement risked falling short of the stated goals. While Tata says the plan would “preserve significant employment,” it is not guaranteeing jobs and has been losing money on its British operations for years.

Persons: Kemi Organizations: British, Tata Steel, Tata Locations: Port Talbot, Wales, Kemi Badenoch, Britain

A British steel industry worker displays a badge on his Tata Steel work clothing during a protest over jobs, pay and conditions of work, outside of the Houses of Parliament in London, Britain, June 28, 2023. Britain said Friday's deal would help to safeguard 5,000 jobs, but Tata Steel UK currently employs more than 8,000 people, raising the prospect of 3,000 redundancies, as the lower-carbon electric furnaces are less labour intensive. India-owned Tata Steel had long warned that without government help it could close the Port Talbot site. Britain's steel industry directly employs 39,800 people according to figures released by UK Steel in May, and supports a further 50,000 jobs in the supply chain. The government said Tata Steel UK would now inform and consult with staff and unions.

Persons: Toby Melville, Friday's, Kemi Badenoch, Port Talbot, Sharon Graham, Sarah Young, Farouq Suleiman, Elizabeth Piper, Sachin Ravikumar, Jane Merriman Organizations: Tata Steel, REUTERS, Port Talbot Tata Steel, Tata, Tata Steel UK, Business, Company, European Union, Tata Group, British Steel, UK Steel, Trade, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, steelmaking, India, Talbot, United States, England, British, Scunthorpe, Port Talbot

☆ VIEW Reactions to EU probe of Chinese electric cars imports
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT URSULA VON DER LEYEN"Global markets are now flooded with cheaper electric cars. "So I can announce today that the Commission is launching an anti-subsidy investigation into electric vehicles coming from China. UK TRADE MINISTER KEMI BADENOCH"I think it just highlights the difficulties that all countries are having with the supply chain for electric vehicles. "China's apparent advantage and cost-competitive imports are already impacting European auto makers' domestic market share, with a massive surge in electric vehicle imports in recent years. At the same time, the US Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is also a game-changer in the electric vehicle value chain.

Persons: Annegret, URSULA VON DER, LAURENCE BOONE, BRUNO LE MAIRE, Von der, KEMI BADENOCH, MATTEO SALVINI, SIGRID DE VRIES, AIWAYS, ALEXANDER KLOSE, Aiways, KINGSMILL, they've, They've, STUART COLE, AJ BELL, DANNI HEWSON, Josephine Mason, Catherine Evans, Louise Heavens Organizations: REUTERS, European Commission, European Union, FRENCH FINANCE, EU, League, GENERAL, Volkswagen, BMW, Tesla, INSTITUTE SENIOR, CITI, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, China, Europe, Brussels

☆ Britain says BMW to make multimillion pound investment in electric Mini output
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

BMW will make a multimillion pound investment in its electric Mini production in Britain, the business ministry said on Monday, a move which secures 4,000 jobs. Business minister Kemi Badenoch will visit a Mini plant in Oxford for the announcement of the investment, which the government said followed "extensive government engagement and support." The government did not give a figure for the announcement but said it would bring total investment into the automotive sector to over 6 billion pounds ($7.48 billion) in recent years. "BMW's investment is another shining example of how the UK is the best place to build cars of the future," British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement. It comes less than two months after India's Tata said it will invest 4 billion pounds in an EV battery plant in Britain to supply its Jaguar Land Rover factories — a move seen as vital for the UK car industry's continued survival in the electric age.

Persons: Kemi Badenoch, Rishi Sunak, India's Tata Organizations: BMW, EV, Rover Locations: Britain, Oxford

China's application, by far the biggest economy, is next in line if they are dealt with in the order they were received, although that is not a given. The free trade agreement has its roots in the U.S.-backed Trans-Pacific Partnership, developed in part to counter China's growing economic dominance. I think that is completely wrong," Tim Groser, a former New Zealand trade minister and chief trade negotiator said. For CPTPP members, China's application is not the only political dilemma. Taiwan is also seeking to join the pact, in a move opposed by China that member trade negotiators remain unsure about.

Persons: Chris Hipkins, Shigeyuki Goto, Damien O’Connor, Trade Kemi, Damien O'Connor, Donald Trump, Henry Gao, couldn't, Tim Groser, CPTPP, Graham Zebedee, Britain's, New Zealand Wang Xiaolong, Hopes, Wang Huiyao, Antony Blinken, Natalie Black, Lucy Craymer, Joe Cash, Jamie Freed Organizations: New Zealand, Economic, New, Trade, Export, State, Business, Malaysian, Beijing, Pacific, New Zealand's Trade, Pacific Partnership, Communist Party, Singapore Management University, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, World Trade Organization, Australia, Center for, Political, Comprehensive Economic, U.S, Asia Pacific, Thomson Locations: British, Trade Kemi Badenoch, Taiwan, AUCKLAND, BEIJING, China, Pacific, Britain, Auckland, Ukraine, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Ecuador, U.S, Japan, Australia, Canada, Beijing, New Zealand, SOEs, Mexico, Center for China, Wellington, Asia

☆ Britain signs treaty to join trans-Pacific trade pact
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Lucy Craymer | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

AUCKLAND, July 16 (Reuters) - Britain on Sunday formally signed the treaty to join a major trans-Pacific trade pact, becoming the first new country to take part since its inception in 2018 and opening the way for members to consider other applications including from China and Taiwan. The signing was part of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) commission meeting being held in New Zealand. Britain's Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said at the signing that her country was delighted to become the first new member of the CPTPP. The CPTPP is a landmark trade pact agreed in 2018 between 11 countries including Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Britain will become the 12th member of the pact that cuts trade barriers, as it looks to deepen ties in the Pacific after its exit from the European Union in 2020.

Persons: Kemi Badenoch, Badenoch, Chris Hipkins, Lucy Craymer, Jamie Freed Organizations: AUCKLAND, Sunday, Trans, Pacific, Trade, European Union, Zealand, Thomson Locations: Britain, Pacific, China, Taiwan, New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, Ukraine, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Ecuador, .

☆ Britain signs deal to join £12 trillion Indo-Pacific trade bloc
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-16 | by ( Matt Clinch | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade, Minister for Women and Equalities Kemi Badenoch leaves 10 Downing Street. LONDON — Britain's Kemi Badenoch, the business and trade secretary, formally signed a treaty confirming accession to the vast Indo-Pacific CPTPP bloc, the country's largest post-Brexit trade deal to date. The U.K. would be the first European nation to join the bloc, which the government says would unlock trade to a region with a total GDP of £12 trillion ($15.7 trillion). Badenoch said Sunday that Britain was using its status as an independent trading nation to join an "exciting, growing, forward-looking trade bloc." One in every 100 workers in Britain was employed by a business headquartered in a CPTPP nation, according to the government citing 2019 data.

Persons: Badenoch, Kemi Organizations: State for International Trade, of Trade, Women, Equalities, CPTPP, Trans, Pacific Partnership Locations: Kemi Badenoch, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Britain

PARIS, June 29 (Reuters) - French minerals group Imerys (IMTP.PA) on Thursday announced plans to mine lithium in the UK and said the site could supply two-thirds of batteries for Britain's electric vehicles by 2030. Imerys aims to produce around 20,0000 tonnes a year of lithium carbonate equivalent by the end of the decade at its mining site in Cornwall, southwest England, in partnership with British Lithium. Imerys' UK development, and its previously announced plan to mine the metal in central France, would reduce Europe's current reliance on imported lithium for batteries, CEO Alessandro Dazza said. In its UK partnership, Imerys has taken an 80% stake and will draw on British Lithium's processing technology and existing pilot for battery-grade lithium, the French group said. In the search for battery minerals, traditional energy companies, including Exxon Mobil (XOM.N), are also looking at emerging technologies to boost lithium supply.

Persons: Imerys, Alessandro Dazza, Kemi Badenoch, Dazza, Gus Trompiz, Clara Denina, Benoit Van Overstraeten, Jason Neely, Sonali Paul, Susan Fenton Organizations: Global, Exxon Mobil, Thomson Locations: Cornwall, England, British, France, Europe, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Britain, Imerys, Paris, London

☆ UK holds crisis talks as top water supplier seeks cash
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Engineers from a Thames Water leak hunting team unloads equipment from their van during a night shift in London, UK, on Wednesday, May 2, 2023. The chief executive of Britain's biggest water supplier stepped down with immediate effect on Tuesday. The British government has held emergency talks over the fate of the country's biggest water supplier, Thames Water, and said it is ready for any outcome, including temporary state ownership, as the company buckles under huge debts. "We need to make sure that Thames Water as an entity survives," business and trade minister Kemi Badenoch told Sky News. Ofwat said it had been in ongoing talks with Thames Water about the need for a credible plan to turn the business around.

Persons: Rebecca Pow, Rishi Sunak's, Pow, Kemi Badenoch, Ofwat Organizations: Engineers, Thames, Conservatives, Sky News, Water Locations: London, England, Wales

☆ Fortescue expands battery and electric powertrain output in UK with new plant
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 19 (Reuters) - Australian miner Fortescue Metals (FMG.AX) is expanding its battery and electric powertrain production operations in the UK with a new plant in Oxfordshire, its green power arm Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) said on Monday. The Banbury facility will open in 2024 and operate alongside Fortescue’s other Oxfordshire facilities including the Kidlington factory which will open later this year, FFI said in a press release. The new plant will focus primarily on manufacturing of heavy industry, electric and zero-emission powertrain systems and will offer automated assembly for battery modules and packs. The world's fourth largest iron ore maker, Fortescue is expanding into production of hydrogen from renewable resources, known as green hydrogen, under its Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) unit, and aims to become a global powerhouse in renewable energy. read moreReporting by Jaskiran Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Fortescue, FFI, Kemi Badenoch, Jaskiran Singh, Kim Coghill Organizations: Fortescue Future Industries, Trade, Thomson Locations: Oxfordshire, Banbury, Bengaluru

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